Sex after Mirena?

I am 21 and in a committed relationship and we like to have sex, well a lot. I have been on birth control pills for 2 or so years now and I seem to have lost my sex drive, I am dry, and moody. I also have a problem with remembering to take my pill everyday. We like to go out and I don't always remember to bring it with me. I am thinking about getting Mirena to maybe cure these problems I have but I have not been able to find reviews of how sex was after the insertion. Me and my boyfriend do get quite 'into it' if you know what I mean and I don't want to have sex be uncomfortable if I do decide to get it. I have also been wondering if having very passionate sex can cause Mirena to be knocked out of place or cause more of a risk of it puncturing though? Any advice is welcome!

Responses (24)

Mirena is not recommended for a person who has not had any children or someone with multiple partners. If you have given birth to at least one child and have only one partner then Mirena may work well for you. Mirena sits inside the uterus (womb) and the strings are outside the cervix for removal by a healthcare professional. The strings should be checked by you after each menstrual period. if you feel more than strings then your device may be out of place. You and your partner should not feel Mirena during intercourse. Mirena is placed in the uterus, not in the vagina. Sometimes male partners feel the threads. Having vigorous intercourse should not dislodge the device because it is in the uterus not the vagina. Mirena will provide birth control for 5 years. If you still want to prevent pregnancy after 5 years they can remove the old one and replace it with a new one. If you have not had a child yet, you may want to look into a birth control patch or Nuva Ring instead. Talk to your healthcare professional to go over your options.

No offense but you didn't really answer my question. I'm not really sure if you even read my post. You just told me everything I already knew from looking on the internet. Which I stated I had already done. I wanted women who have the Mirena to give me their experience with sex. I also don't need a lecture on what I know and can learn by myself. Plus the only reason Mirena is not recommended for younger women is because the main research studies for it, were done with women who had already had one child or more. It doesn't mean that it works any different.

well ive had the mirena for about 4 months now and my boyfriend doesnt feel it at all but right now im in the process of a pregnancy scare 0_0! so im not sure how effective it is anymore... up until this point its worked just fine i spotted for the first couple of months but now my period is back to normal its different for different people!

I'm 20, not married, no children, and I have mirena. And it's awesome. They told me at the doctor's office that it may slow down or even stop your period, which it did. I havnt had a period since February (and considering it's October, there's obviously no way was I pregnant). And I'm loving it. The sex is great, and boyfriend has never complained about feeling strings or anything like that. Also, there's no worry of "did I take my pill this morning??" which makes the sex more enjoyable. I say as long as your doctor approves it (he/she might not, I don't know if they approve it for everyone, mine was a special case) then go for it. There's still a great chance that you can still get pregnant AFTER you take it out too, so no worries of fertility issues down the road! Hope everything works out for you.

I don't know where you got the idea that a woman should not be advised to have the mirena coil if she has had multiple partners or has not had children. I know of one friend who has never had children & another who is a sex worker & they both have the mirena coil! Both of them have had their coil for the past FIFTEEN/TEN years respectively!! They have both never had any problems. I have had my coil since 2007 - the 2nd one being 3 years ago & now I am considering having it removed. I have never encountered any problems until recently where I am getting pains after sex & after orgasm> I decided to remove the coil to rule out if that is causing the pains as I feel it has nothing to do with my endiometriosis. I have no infections & gynae have said there is no internal damage. I will consider having it reinserted as it has been an ideal method of easing my endiometriosis.

Rude A** Schooleannd I'm pretty sure Dzoobaby answered your question! QUOTE: " Mirena is placed in the uterus, not in the vagina. Sometimes male partners feel the threads. Having vigorous intercourse should not dislodge the device because it is in the uterus not the vagina." AND you said ANY advice is welcome so go f yourself for being a jerk to Dzoobaby. You were offensive and you don't deserve advice from anyone.

Well, you did not have to be so rude in telling me your opinion. I was respectful in answering Dzoobaby and did not cus at them like you did me. They may have given me the doctor speal that did answer one part of my question but I specifically asked for experiences by women. Also, this is a very old post. Before you go telling someone to go f themselves you might want to look at the date on the inquiry.

Mirena is made for every woman. It doesn't matter if you have or have not had kids. I don't want kid right now and I have the mirena in for about 2 weeks now and honestly I'm getting tired of judgementally people saying it's only for woman who have had children. Some people just don't want kids

Having had a child and a Mirena inserted, it's mostly because what's required is best for someone who's already been a bit, well, stretched out. There are better IUD and BC options that don't require the discomfort of a Mirena. That said, it can be used by even the most vigorous, as my nurse practitioner said, you'll notice if it comes out.

I know this is an old post but the I had the mirena fitted recently after having my second child and the doctor who fitted said they don't like giving it to women who haven't had children because it can be painful to instead as the cervix has never dilated and can cause pain after its mainly for woman who have had children and you can't feel it when having sex neither will your partner

Well, I have Mirena, and have had it since 2007, but I also have 3 sons. To answer your question, the strings CAN get pushed into the uterus by vigorous sex. Not sure if the device itself does. I know my strings have been gone for months now. On an MRI they can see the Mirena still in place, but it cannot be removed by a simple office visit now. My cervix must be dilated in order to remove it, making it much more difficult. I've also been getting infections from it lately, and had to visit the er on two occasions for severe pelvic pain. We are monogamous, and married 7 years now. My whole issue seems to stem from the device shifting, if not from vigorous sex, I don't know from what. I think yours is a legitimate concern. Best of luck!

Thank you for your comment. I had a visit with my doctor today and I asked her about and she had reassured me that it could not be moved by vigorous sex. I have found a few cases looking though reviews where other woman's have shifted. If it was from sex or not they can not completely prove, but that is what they all think made it happen. Shifting of Mirena is one of my greatest concerns along with the hormone it has in it. So, my search continues for other stories.

I had Mirena put in almost a week ago since I also have difficulties remembering to take a pill (Mirena has a higher rate of preventing pregnancy as well) I have never had children, and while it is preferred it is NOT necessary for a woman to previously have children to have Mirena. One of my best friends who also does not have children recommended it to me. While I have not had sex yet (still sore) since getting it placed I do know that sex will not cause it to "slip out" or embed in the uterus. Some women can not tolerate having a IUD/IUS in their body, this is merely because their body will reject it. Think of it like a foreign organism, your bodies natural response is to reject this new "threat" that is unknown in order to protect itself from a possible virus or infection. No amount of excessive movement will cause it to fall out.

The strings should soften as time goes by and at times can be felt by a sex partner, if the strings have been cut too short then that can cause the problem of them "disappearing" but should be checked by your gynecologist in case the device has became embedded. Other than that, the strings should not go past the cervix. I would suggest to keep them the recommended length and not have them cut short, otherwise it will be very difficult to have it removed. Now, since you have not had children, and I can tell you from experience that placing Mirena is very painful. The cramps can last a couple of days and you may get nausea as well. Taking Aleve (unless you are allergic to Naproxen) is very suggested. Make sure that your gyno also gives you an anxiety or pain medication. Some OBGYN will prescribe a medication to make you dilate so that insertion is less painful. If you have a good gynecologist they will implant Mirena while you are on your period, if not (trust me on this one) it is excruciatingly painful the first day. After the first couple of days you will experience discomfort. As far as sex goes my friend that recommended it to me has a normal, active, and very satisfying sex life.If it causes discomfort during sex I would recommend talking to your gynecologist.

I am 37yrs old and had my first baby 8 weeks back. Had used the pill for the rest of my adult/sexually active life but decided to try Mirena now, after much research and a few discussions with my doctor - a female, with three children of her own, who highly recommended it.

I had it placed last week and literally did not feel the insertion AT ALL, so please stop scaring people. Everyone is different. I had no cramping or discomfort whatsoever, but can't say if I spotted after its insertion because I am still lightly bleeding after baby (called lochia).

Husband and I plan to try sex for the first time sometime this week, as my doctor DID warn not to the first week because she said he WOULD feel the strings and 'hate me'. Because they start out firm/stiff but assured me they will continue to soften over time. She let me feel the ends of the strings before insertion and it was comparable to two long toothbrush bristles. Understandably, that doesn't feel great stabbing at the tip of a sensitive penis! Also, she just said to check them every 2wks for the first 6, then monthly. And to call if I have any questions of concerns.

The odds of anything bad happening are VERY slim. And my doc said she's only seen two patients have them move/come out in her 11yrs, because THEY deliberately messed with them on their own, which you definitrly should not attempt to do.

I really like and trust her, and therefore am not worried at all. Again, everyone is different, I just wanted to share my experience thus far. Good luck to us all!

Cchaney, of course you didn't feel it. She specifically stated that it was painful for her, because she had never had children. Her cervix has never been opened, and she has never had anything in her uterus. I had my paraguard inserted a year ago (never having had any children before), and it was very painful. Several of my friends who have never had children stared their insertion was extremely painful as well. One ended up fainting. The reason SOME doctors (not all) recommend to wait until after childbirth to have an iud is because of this and the uterus of a woman who has never been pregnant is also very different than someone who has, and expelling is more common in these woman.

I had mirena iud put in yesterday at docs office. I had been bleeding for months and after many tests and ultrasounds, was told i had a fibroid. I had a c-section 7 mos ago and bled since. Doc told me at the time i had the fibroid! Don't know why it took so long to come to the same conclusion?! Anyway, it was finally suggested to try mirena. It hurt getting put in and i have had two kids, 1 vag, 1 c-section. So i guess it just depends on the person. I am so cramped now and starting to worry about how sex and orgasm are going to be. Kind of regretting it because it hurts and now i see that women have had problems! The ONLY reason i did this was to stop the bleeding. I'm 42 and had a tubal ligation during my c-section. Anyone else with a similar story? I guess I'm trying to see how likely it is to get better!

I just had one inserted 36 hours ago. The beginning of the procedure was a bit uncomfortable but nothing I couldn't handle. It was just a new sensation of cramping lasting for about 20 seconds as he first touched the cervix with his instruments. I did not feel the insertion at all. That part was completely painless. I have also never had any children. I had light spotting for the first evening but no uncomfortable cramping to report this far. I do have very intense period cramps normally so maybe I'm just accustomed to that sensation but just wanted to share my positive experience. It was virtually a pain free process for me.

I had 2 c-sections 18 and 12 yrs ago. I recently broke up with my ex of 10 yrs and tried getting pregnant for the last couple yrs but did not happen. I am now with a new partner and got the iud in July. I had bleeding almost eveyday for the first month..not heavy, cramping worse then when I'm getting or have my period and hurts during and after sex a lot of the times. It's only been 2 1/2 months but I'm really considering getting it removed. It's so uncomfortable.

I know this post is a little old but wanted to share my experience. I had mind just 7 weeks ago. I went back 2 weeks later to get the string's cut. I bleed for 35 days then it finally stopped. I got it to help with fibroids. I went back a few days ago to get my yearly checkup & she told me it was coming out. She replaced it with a new one & I'm hopping the bleeding doesn't come back. But I'm hopping it helps with my very heavy periods & clots. I am 46 & have 2 kids (26 & 17) both vaginal & the insertion felt like a pinch. Good luck to all.

Ik this is an old post but I thought I would go ahead and respond. I have had mirena in me for over a year and i have had no side effects during sex..feels the exact same. Best part after a few months I stopped getting my period yay! Haha

I've had mirena now for almost 4 months. I don't know if it's because of the mirena or because of coming off the pill, but sex has been mind blowingly amazing. We have had a very healthy sex life (daily if not more) and it was always good, but it seems even more so after having mirena placed/stopping the pill. I am a 40 year old mother of 3 and I am just glad to be having mind blowingly good sex on a daily basis!!!

I have a question for everybody with the mirena. I got the mirena, exactly 6 weeks after i had my daughter. And for the first 8 months, i did not have my menstruation. However, soon after i hit my 9 months mark, i got it. And it won't stop. It is heavier than ever before. And i've been on menstruating for 2 weeks now. I went to my health care provider, and she could not find it. Neither could the pelvic ultrasound people, when she sent me there. So, it's lost. Tell me, how far can the mirena travel in one's body?

I'm 22, just got Mirena about a week ago and after my first time having sex with it in place, the strings are gone. I'm going to go try to find them again tonight and I'm hoping they come back down, but right now I'm really afraid that they've gone into my uterus. I don't think sex interferes with the device in any other way though, it just moves the strings (I hope). I have still had cramping this whole week and I got a small sharp pain in the same place several times today already and it's starting to freak me out.

I'm 23 and have never had children and never been on any kind of birth control until 2 1/2 weeks ago when I got the Mirena. I often struggle with finding the strings on my IUD and I get very paranoid. I don't want a pregnancy scare! I've done a lot of research and read plenty of reviews, but because it is different for each person, I wasn't exactly sure how to handle my situation. I think that there are times I can feel the strings and others where I think I can feel the IUD. Often times I feel just one string & it makes me nervous. My husband & I have sex plenty of times & he is larger for a man & it worried me at first that it might displace the device. I was reassured by my Dr. that size of a penis & sex should not dislodge the device. So I called my Dr.

today because after having sex last night I really couldn't feel the strings & I'd had serious cramping in front & back a couple nights ago-so I've been really paranoid & looking things up. This how I found your question. As I talked to my Dr. this morning & related my issues, she told me that the strings very commonly can twist together & feel like one string or can wrap around the cervix. On other words they often move during/after sex and take time to fall back into place. So continue to check for the strings & if you don't have a 1 month checkup, set one up to go in & verify the placement & function of your Mirena. I am awaiting my normal period as my time creeps closer, but so far I've only had random days of very light spotting. I mostly get symptoms of bloating & cramps in front & back that range from mild to moderate. I hope this helps you!

I am 39 and have had Mirena for 4 and half years. I like the idea aout not having to take a pill each day and my period has not come on since three months after having it put in. I have begin to spot in these last few months. I do believ ethat sex can move the mirena. My husband always complains that he strings are poking him and sometimes during and after sex I have pain and there is bleeding. About two years ago I rushed to the emergency room with severe abdominal pains and they found nothing wrong but assumed that I was suffering from PID and didn't pull the Mirena out. I followed up with my GYN and he said that it may have pinched something but it was still in place. This week I have had sharp pains everyday and I really believe its the Mirena. I think I am going to have it removed and switch to something else. I can hardly move and its hurts to sneeze and breathe. I don't think its a wrong or right answer because we all have different bodies and will have different experiences with it. I do know of someone who had to have it surgically removed.

I've been using mirena copper IUD almost 7 months now. The mattress mambo, no issues, can't feel it, but recently getting sharp poking like a plastic needle inside, not constant. I have had a child, but emergency c-section, so uterus never opened, it was painful insertion. I've had nothing but issues, bleeding more than I was normally, just to be told, its apparently normal with this. Fast forward, get cramps now, never did before. And I kept getting itchy. I'm allergic (have the symptoms, never diagnosed) to nuva ring, and similar issues with this. Dr refused to remove, would cost the insurance too much of a loss. I'm in a small town and the only gyno doesn't want to remove it, so waiting until I move. Anyways, I've been searching online and I can't find anything about sharp pains feeling, like poking. Sorry kinda hijacked your post, not intentional,

3 months down & I'm still enjoying the benefits of Mirena. I've not had kids & my fiancé & I have plenty of fun time. While never having been on birth control before, I expected some side effects- abnormal spotting/bleeding, hormone headaches, etc. I've had a few scared when I could not find the strings & ended up going in to my OB/GYN because I'm paranoid like that. But apparently all was well. The strings like to twist & curl around the cervix. I've experienced longer, lighter periods with A LOT of bloating & cramps- Id never had cramps in my life. My backaches are worse & occasionally spotting after sex. My fiancé has said he can feel the strings but it doesn't really bother him. I don't believe severe pain and sharp stabbing sensations are normal. You can get anything removed that you want- Drs must respect the patients rights and it does not ever matter what will be easier on insurance.

Get it out if you feel that the Mirena is causing the problems. My body is still adjusting so I'm still in limbo for now. But I keep track of all my symptoms with a period tracker app- I'm adamant about logging symptoms & sex & emotions. I don't care what Drs say about it effecting you- it does! It's a foreign object within your body ejecting hormones that wouldn't be there normally.

Best of luck! I certainly hope it helps you & you can feel better soon! Just remember that it is your body & Drs can only suggest. They must respect a patients wishes- I work in medical and know all about patient rights. And insurance certainly has nothing to do with getting it out, unless it must be surgical. But honestly, your health comes first!!!

I have Mirena now and I've had it for almost 2 years. The strings in mine I can no longer feel but the Mirena is still in place. I bled and cramped for about 3 weeks after insertion. I am 22, no kids, engaged and in reply to the original post... my sex drive is up and the sex had been absolutely AMAZING!!! Before I had my Mirena placed, I had Nexplanon for 3 years and it was horrible. Super heavy periods every months, horrible cramping, and right after my 2 year mark with Nexplanon... my fiancé and I got pregnant and I miscarried. A few months after, I made the switch to IUD! I love it.

I know this is an older post but I feel the need to reply to this. I had the Mirena IUD inserted in 2009. Afterward sex was painful for me and the strings annoyed my husband. After about 3 years the pain during intercourse didn't go away but I built up a tolerance to it. Other than that I had no issues with the Mirena until time came to remove it. The IUD broke when the doctor pulled on the strings. I had to have a hysteroscopy guided procedure to get the fragmented IUD out and now after 2 months sex is painful yet again. But just because this happened to me doesn't mean it will happen to you. My main advice is to weigh the pros and cons of the Mirena vs the pill vs the shot and figure which fits into your lifestyle the best.

Following my earlier comment on 23rd Nov I said I had decided to remove the Mirena Coil/ & I did! It was the best thing I ever did... I had been getting pains after sex, after orgasm & sometimes after extreme exercise. I had it removed on 29th Nov & since then I have experienced NO pain whatsoever - it is absolute bliss! I wish I had it removed 18months ago! I am now staying on Norethisterone for my endiometriosis & that is sufficient to keep the periods at bay. I think that the Mirena coil is good but if you get pain, have it removed so that you can determine if that is causing the pains or not. I personally think its a trial & error thing with the Mirena - some people find it great & others don't like it one bit. Everybody is different.

Are you finding the Norethisterone helps with your endometriosis pains? I'm 16 and have just had the mirena inserted in a desperate attempt to stop the intense pains and spreading of my endo tissue, just so I can finish school. Now I'm reading all these horror stories about how it can cause infertility and pain during sex etc! I'm not yet sexually active, but that wouldn't be fun if it's true! Just wondering how your handling the endo now, as I'm still having a few pains 2 weeks after insertion of the mirena and haven't heard anything from anyone else with endo. Thanks :)

I'm 18 and have never had kids and I don't have endometriosis but I have bleeding that has lasted for 6 months now (the doctors think it is related to chrones) and it was extremely painful and heavy and I started taking norethisterone and it was amazing it stopped the bleeding and pain in about 3 days, in an attempt to stop the pain and bleeding 4 days ago got the mirena it was incredibly painful to get put it and I'm still having cramps, bleeding and intense pain that I can feel in both the front and back of my body. I would sugest the norethisterone 100% and I wish you luck :D

I wanted to let everyone know that I never did get the mirena because of the stories that were shared with me. I also had a friend take the plunge of getting it and she had it removed 3 weeks later due to severe pain. I did a lot of research about the hormone in the mirena and decided I didn't want to take a chance. I had used the same hormone before and it was disastrous for my body. Hopefully one day they will come out with a better berth control.

Hello! Responding to your questions- I have a friend the got the mirina and has no kids they reason they want women to atleast have one child before getting it put in is because its known to cause infertility and if some goes wrong with the mirina that can cause you not to have a child you already have one so it get it at your own risk kinda thing with no children . I got my first one in 2009 and had it in nearly 5 years sometimes they dont always last the whole 5 years and your mirina will let you know its time to take it out, with that one my husband got stuck around my strings I couldnt feel it but he did he thought my strings were gonna cut his junk off lol ... tmi- I had to get the strings off that was wrapped around it.

One time he always swore it felt the end of my mirina poke him on the tip of his junk .I had it taken out to try for a 2nd baby I had to be put on meds to have a period and fertility meds I had symptoms of pre menopause my body wasn't making fertile eggs let alone having a period and if for some reason at that time if I got pregnant I would have lost my child becuase the mirina thins your uterus lining I barley had a uterus lining after having the mirina in nearly the 5 years it was too thin and if the embryo imbedded I woulda lost baby and coulda been looking at surgery over my uterus now , after 18 months of the treatments amd trying I finally got pregnant . Now I got my 2nd mirina placed in 9 months ago and its alittle different then the first with the periods and such... really getting "into" sex can hurt you and u will have to stop or slow down I swore he done moved my mirina or was rubbing against it , that was uncomfortable . My nurse that works with my doctor had a mirina placed in and her and her husband got into it and her mirina flipped upside down in her uterus and she got pregnant and they couldnt remove it .. which is serious and dangerous the reason because the mirina thins your uterus lining that u need think to get the baby attached to you uterus and holdthe baby in place. Hope this can help theres both good and bad when it comes to getting the mirina.

I have had mirenia for 3 years... my ex never felt the string and I never really felt anything during sex... however my current boyfriend says he can feel it and its painful for me... once in a while I get a sharp pain as if he hit it just right and it moved. Also have noticed that I get cramps way worse now then I ever did before during my period... and I know they say your period should go away but I still get mine every single month for a week sometimes 2 but it's very very light and it comes and goes for that week or 2 weeks. Also I never had a kid.

I'm sorry but you should NOT have Mirena if you have not had kids. I've read so many things online of women complaining that the insertion hurt. Well duh it's going to hurt when your cervix has never stretched! And if it does shift more inside of you it's not going to be fun when you get it out.

Also, if you get it DO NOT have sex (or move much) within the first week at least. You are supposed to rest because your body is getting used to it. It also does not prevent pregnancy in the first week.

But Mirena acts as if you are pregnant. I honestly have been extremely happy with it (I had post partum depressen and it helped my emotions). I can't say anything about sex because my hubby is away at Military training for another few months (he's been gone for 4 already). But with masturbation it's uncomfortable and a lil painful. I'm very sore (I've had it in for about a month) and I can feel the strings. But I've heard it takes time to get used to. I probably just need to get my strings trimmed if it doesn't go away.

Who told you you cannot have the Mirena if you have not had kids??? what a load of bollocks that is!!! I have NEVER had kids & I had the mirena coil twice in the space of 15 years !! - it never did me any harm (Had Endiometriosis) . I had it removed in December 2014 cos i decided that it was probably causing some pain after having it so long, Besides i was taking Noresthiserone tablets which stopped my periods anyway so there was no point in having the Mirena anyway. I suggest people remember that every woman is different - for some the Mirena is a Godsend... for others its a nightmare! I had mine for 15 years & it was a Godsend till the very last year. By the way I had sex on the Monday after having my 2nd Mirena inserted on the Friday (December 2011 was my 2nd one) - I can't remember what happened after the 1st one as it was so long ago. So do not assume it is the same for every woman.

Actually - correction - it was not 15 years it was 6 years. I was on Noresthisterone first then went on Mirena when I was told to come off the Tabs - then I was on both for the next 6 years before I removed the Mirena just to stay on the tabs.

I'm 22 and I've had Mirena since 2011, after my son was born. He's 3 now and I still have it and HATE it!!! When I first got it insertion was painful. I bled heavily for like 3 months. Sex was uncomfortable, I cramped afterwards and still do.

I get cramps everyday, and I keep getting B.V , reoccurring yeast infections, and nasty discharge that smells. Before I got it inserted; I never had any. They're so annoying and now I can't have sex because of vaginal dryness or don't be in the mood, or because it hurts too bad. I hope it don't hurt coming out. Will my vagina restore it's natural ph balance after it's removed?

You should be able to feel your strings. When you cut them too short you risk them moving completely into your uterus, which complicates the removal. And cramping and being sore is normal for a few months in some people. Also, it's fine to have an iud if you have never had children.

I haven't had kids and I got a mirena put in today, it hurt so bad, I'd say twice as bad as my usual period cramps. But I haven't had a period in two years because I was on the depo Provera shot so that might be a reason why I felt more pain than a mother or a person with regular periods would. It wasn't so bad that I regretted getting it put in, but it was painful, so be prepared!

I am a petite mother of 6 children. I have had trouble with my periods and thinking of trying the Mirena. My husband and I enjoy very vigorous and rough sex including role plays most nights of the week. I have read horror stories about large men pushing the strings up and then me not being able to find them. My husbands penis is about 8 inches long, sometimes larger if I get him really excited. The main question is, am I going to be one of these horror stories? I don't want anything to change in our sex life and I'm sure he doesn't either.

Hi I'm 24 n I just got mieran put in about four days ago and everything is lovely so far so good I didn't even feel it go in. It feels like a hard cramp that's all. A little pitnch.that's how you know it's installed correctly U won't feel a thing. I hope it continues to work.. sex after it. I tried it was okay but my doc told me wait at least five days so I'm waiting.